Improving Solomon Islands Provincial Government Accountability - Public Accounts Committees Training Workshops | Phase I

In 1997 a system of provincial government was established in the Solomon Islands, with the aim of strengthening the connection between communities and government decision-makers, thereby improving the responsiveness of elected representatives and the quality of service delivery.

It has become clear in recent years that these expectations have not been realised. The Solomon Islands Auditor-General has consistently found systemic weakness in revenue collection, financial management and executive decision-making processes across all provinces. Despite clear audit advice on the action required to overcome these problems, provincial administrations have been unable to make improvements. In many cases the problems have become entrenched. Not only do most provincial executive governments lack the resources or capacity to overcome these challenges, but the absence of oversight from provincial assemblies means that provincial administrations are not subjected to political pressures to initiate and drive change.

In collaboration with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) and the Solomon Islands National Parliament Office, CDI has devised a series of training workshops for members of provincial assemblies on how they can help improve the quality of provincial government. The workshops start with an emphasis on the responsibilities of provincial assemblies in overseeing executive government and provide a practical introduction to the powerful accountability role that public accounts committees (PACs) can play.

The first workshop was conducted in Honiara on 26-28 July 2011. The workshop involved 24 participants from the 4 provinces of Guadalcanal, Rennell and Bollona, Malaita and Western. Speakers, Clerks, PAC Chairs, and PAC members from each of these provinces attended the workshop, as did Treasurers from each provincial administration.
The workshop was facilitated by Ms Nancy Legua (Under Secretary of MPGIS) and CDI Deputy Director Grant Harrison (formerly Secretary of the Australian Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee). Professor Peter Loney (from the Alfred Deakin Research Institute and formerly Chairman of the Victorian Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee) and James Taeburi (MPGIS’s Director of Finance) contributed throughout the workshop as resource people. The workshop also featured presentations from Edward Ronia (the Solomon Islands Auditor-General) and senior staff from the National Parliament Office, especially David Kusilifu and Albert Kabui. The UNDP’s Provincial Governance Strengthening Programme was instrumental in initiating and organising the training.

The workshop was opened by Mr Lennis Rukale (Permanent Secretary to the Ministry) and Ms Taeasi Sanga (Clerk to the National Parliament) and closed by the Speaker of the National Parliament, Sir Alan Kemakeza MP, and the Minister for Provincial Government, Hon Walter Folotalu MP.

The main themes of the workshop were that:

• Provincial assemblies are an important and separate branch of the system of provincial government, with different responsibilities from provincial executive office-holders, such as ministers;
• PACs are appointed to help assemblies fulfill their responsibility to scrutinise the performance of provincial governments;
• PACs can perform their duties with a series of simple, methodical processes (recognizing that the work of PACs is about accountability not accounting);
• the Auditor-General is an important ally for PACs and is available to provide advice on how to overcome deficiencies in provincial administration.

The workshop involved group exercises in which participants undertook a series of tasks replicating the main activities involved in the work of PACs. Participants prepared terms of reference, briefing papers and press releases and participated in a mock public hearing. Participants also drafted recommendations based on the ‘evidence’ gathered at the public hearing and prepared an Action Plan identifying the actions necessary to establish and operate an effective PAC in their assemblies.

All workshop participants reported that the training had been extremely useful, with 84% reporting that they had greatly enhanced their knowledge of PACs and 89% reporting that they were now much more confident about establishing and operating a PAC in their assembly. High or moderate level learning outcomes were reported by nearly all participants in almost all sessions.

A second workshop for the remaining five provinces of Makira Ulawa, Choiseul, Temotu, Isabel and Central will be conducted in November 2011, with further recall sessions planned for early 2012.

During the workshop it became clear that each provincial assembly describes the duties, powers and membership provisions for PACs differently. Some of these differences (especially those which allow Premiers to be members of PACs or allow Premiers to appoint members) risk compromising the independence of PACs. There was strong interest amongst participants in modernising provincial Standing Orders to enhance consistency and effectiveness. CDI is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Provincial Government about assistance we may be able to provide to this proposed project.

CDI was very pleased to mobilise the expertise of senior officials and staff of the national parliament and national government to contribute to a program to strengthen the capacity of their colleagues in the provinces. Their knowledge of national procedure and understanding of local traditions and working conditions could not be replicated by any international organisation. The involvement of UNDP was also instrumental in ensuring the success of the workshop. For CDI this workshop represents a further step in our efforts to work at sub-national levels in all our partner countries, combining local resources and expertise with international institutions and networks to develop collaborative approaches to capacity building. We are delighted that these strategies have come together so successfully in this project and are keenly looking forward to continuing our support for provincial assemblies in the Solomon Islands.